Parachute apparatus



PARACHUTE APPARATUS Original Filed May 14, 1934 FIG. 2.

INVENTOR.

Leslie L. Irv-LTL ATTORN EY Patented oct. s, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT orf-ICE PARACHUTE APPARATUS Leslie L. Irvin, Letchworth, Herts, England, as signor to Irving Air Chute Company, Inc., Buffalo, N, Y., a corporation June 28, 1933 s claims. (ci. 244-4149) The present invention relates to improvements in parachute harnesses, and particularly relates to improved means for safely retaining a rip cord or rip cord handle upon the harness; the

present application being a division of my copending application Serial No. 725,646, filed May 14, 1934. v

A further object of this invention is the provision of an improved rip cord handle pocket which is relatively movable upon the harness of the wearer and adapted to house the rip cord handle in such manner that the harness and associated pack may be safely worn by persons of varying stature in a safe relation against lia- I l5 bility of premature release of the parachute pack.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent during the course of the following detailed description.

ln the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the improved harness parachute pack and slidable rip cord handle pocket upon a wearer.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of a preferred form of parachute harness, showing the rip cord pocket in a slidable positionupon a side riser portion of the harness.

Figures 3 and 4 are cross sectional views taken throughthe improved rip cord pocket, showing the rip cord ring or handle releasably positioned therein, and also showing the improved association of the rip cord pocket in adjustable sliding relation upon a strap or web of the harness.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, the letter E may designate the parachute harness adapted to have a pack D associated in a conventional relation therewith'. The pack D may be connected to the 1 seat portion of the U,shaped sling of the harness E, or it may be of a type adapted for connection upon the back of the wearer, or it may be of the quick connector type such as shown in U. S.

Patent #1,958,000.

The parachute pack D is generally of the nature set forth in U. S. Patents Nos. 1,340,423, 1,403,983, and 1,554,192. It includes a semi-rigid supporting Wall forming part of the container having means thereon by which it` maybe attached to the seat strap of the harness, in the case of a seat pack, or to the back straps of the harness in the case of a back pack. The pack may also function as a detachable emergency pack, or it may serve as a lap pack or chest pack in accordance with construction which is well known in the parachute art. As is usual the parachute container is releasably held closed by fastening means which includes a rip cord 42 terminating in a rip 5 cord handle 43 of the nature set forth in U. S. Patent 1,758,795 and pocketed in a manner similar to that shown in said patent. This pocket is preferably adjustable upon the harness in a manner which will be subsequently set forth. 10

Referring to details of the improved harness E, the same preferably includes a U-shaped supporting sling having a seat 8| and right and left side riser portions 82 and 83, which are adapted to extend upwardly along the sides of the wearer. l5 The seat portion 8| and riser portions 82 and 83 are formed of double thicknesses of webs stitched together, although a single thickness of webbing, if of sufficient length, may be used. Each riser web 82 and 83 terminates in a pair of relatively 20 independent suspension lines. Thus the riser web 82 at a point to the rear below the shoulders of the wearer is provided with the pair of suspension lines 84 and similarly the riser web 83 is provided with the pair of suspension lines 85. 25 These suspension lines 84 and 85 all terminate in D-rings 86 to which the shroud Vlines of the parachute are connected in well known manner.

Back straps 86 and 91 are provided, which may be connected in any approved manner to the seat 30 8| of the sling. Thus, in the harness E these back straps 86 and 8l are contiguous with the seat ofy the sling; themselves providing a seat portion 8|a which lies below and is stitched to the seat portion 8| of the sling proper 80. The back straps 35 86 and 8l of course extend outwardly beyond the seat portion 8| and thence extend upwardly to the rear of the sling diagonally in converging relation, crossing at a point 89, either with a slip loop connection, or permanently stitched, as desired. 40 These back straps 86 and 8l are each formed of a double thickness of webbing stitched together, al 1 though a single ply webbing may be used if found suitable. The back straps 86 and 81 at their terminals are provided with metal coupling rings 45 or.1oops 90 and 9|, which are in the nature of adapters or slip rings through which the riser webs 82 and 83 are respectively slidably adjusted.

In view of the fact that the metal adapters or coupling parts 90 and 9| take a material part of the load, they are made of appropriate strength, and secured to the ends `of the back straps by passing the ends of each of the straps through the respective buckles and stitching the ends to the 55 portions of the back straps which they overlie, as shown at 93 in Figure 2 of the drawing.

As before mentioned the riser webs 82 and 83 at the shoulders thereof are respectively threaded through the adapters 9U and 9|. To prevent unduly free sliding movement of said riser webs through the adapters I have provided improved means to retain a desired adjustment in such manner that, with the required manual effort, the riser webs may slide through their respective adapters to automatically provide the required adjustment in adapting the harness to the stature of the wearer. To that end, for each back strap, a length of webbing 94 is appropriately secured by stitching 93 to the upper end of the back strap at a point between the adapter and the body of the wearer, that is, at the inside of the back strap. This webbing 94 is extended upwardly beyond the adapter with which it is respectively associated and has a band or loop 95 stitched thereto. These loops 95 are frictionally slidable along the riser webs 82 and 83. It is quite apparent that when sliding movement takes place between the adapter and the riser web which extends therethrough, the band 95 will have to be slid along the same riser web. Due to close fitting of the bands or loops 95 a frictionally retard movement of the riser webs occurs. This opposition offers the necessary resistance to inadvertent free sliding movement between the upper ends of the back straps and the riser webs. It is also to be noted that the webs 94 will protect the wearer from any pinching or uncomfortable pressure of the adapters against his or her body.

As to the application of the harness, as thus far described, the wearer sits in the harness, as in a swing, with the back straps crossing between the shoulders and the adapters 90 and 9| lying to the rear just below the shoulders of the wearer, although the adapters may lie to the front of the wearer below the shoulders if desired, with safety. In order to prevent the wearer from falling through the sling 80, coupling means is provided to support the riser webs 82 and 83 upon the wearer at the breast or waist. This coupling means may be of any approved character, as for instance, a belt. In the approved form, however, I preferably provide short lengths of straps of webbing having complementary coupling parts IIJI and |02 at the ends thereof.

Improved means is provided to retain the lower portion of the harness, at the seat thereof, upon the body of the wearer, so that the seat strap 8| will extend truly under the seat of the wearer in order to permit the wearer to sit in the harness, as in a swing, during a parachute descent. It includes an adjustable strap arrangement which encompasses the legs of the wearer at or below the hips, without extending between the legs of the wearer. Thus it is particularly well adapted for women and very eflcently and safely maintains the seat strap in position for proper use. A strap I l0 is connected to the seat strap 8| as at short of the end of the seat strap. This strap lill is connected in acute angled relation to the axis of the seat strap and is adapted to fold about the outer side of the left leg of the wearer. At its free end it is provided with a coupling 2, which may be the ring portion of the coupling, or any other part of any other type of coupling than that shown. Another strap ||4 is similarly connected at ||5 at the opposite end of the seat strap 8|. This strap |4 has an adjustable coupling 6 at its free end (described in detail in my parent application Serial No. 725,646) which is adapted to detachably interconnect with the coupling part H2, 'Ihe strap ||4 is adjustably connected to this coupling ||6 so that the straps ||0 and H4, when connected together by said coupling devices, may be held tight about the legs of the wearer to hold the position of the harness upon the wearer as aforementioned. A pull upon the end of strap ||4 will tighten the connection.

The coupling H2 has a rearwardly projecting tongue, indicated at I|2u between the over-folded parts of the strap IIU, in order that the coupling H2, which is preferably a D-ring, will always lie in position for quick attachment to the snap fastener portion il'l of the coupling H6.

Back and seat padding 35 and 36 respectively may be used with the harness and pack of the parachute apparatus, as described in my above identified cio-pending application.

The rip cord handle 43, as before mentioned, is of a nature similar to that set forth in my U. S. Patent #1,758,795, and the pocket |40 to receive the same is of a nature similar to that described in said patent, except that the said pocket is attached to a band or loop of fabric |4| which is slidable upon the left riser web 83 of the harness. This sliding of the pocket upon the harness permits the adjustment of the harness to wearers of varying stature and disposition of the rip cord ring or handle in the proper position upon the harness. Of course the pocket may be located in other positions upon the harness than the riser web, such as upon a belt, but it is preferably adjustable in a similar manner.

Various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be made to the forms oi' invention herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. Parachute apparatus comprising a parachute harness, a parachute pack, means for attachment of the pack to the harness, rip cord means to open the pack including a manually operated handle, and pocketing means for the handle slidably secured upon the harness so as to prevent premature release opening of the pack due to variation in the effective distance between the pack and location of the handle on the harness such as occurs when the wearer shifts his movement.

2. Parachute apparatus comprising a parachute harness, a parachute pack, means to open the pack including a handle, and a pocket movably mounted upon the harness for releasably housing the handle so as to prevent premature release opening of the 'pack due to variation in the effective distance between the pack and location of the handle on the harness such as occurs when the wearer shifts his movement.

3. Parachute apparatus comprising a parachute harness, a parachute pack, means to open the pack including a handle, and means movable along the harness for releasably retaining the handle in easily accessible position so as to prevent premature release opening of the pack due to variation in the eiective distance between the pack and location of the handle on the harness such as occurs when the wearer shifts his movement.

4. Parachute apparatus comprising a parachute harness, a parachute pack, fastener means for the parachute 'pack including a exible rip cord, a handle attached at the end of the flexible rip cord, and means slidably movable upon 10 n cluding a. exible rip cord having a hand enaccusa the harness for releasably connecting the handle upon the harness, in position to fit the harness to the position and stature of the wearer so that when the wearer moves about there will be no premature opening of the pack due to variation in the effective distance between the pack and location of the handle on the harness.

' 5. In parachute apparatus the combination oi a parachute harness, a parachutepack attached to the harness, fastener means for the pack ineasing part to open the pack by pull upon the rip cord, and means mounted movable upon the harness to house the hand engaging portion of the ripcord whereby to varlably position the hand engaging portion of the rip cord on the harness with respect to the location of the pack to safely suit the various shifting positions of and the` stature of wearers of varying height.

6. In parachute apparatus a harness including side riser portions, a pack attached to the harness in` a definite location, release means for the pack including a flexible parachute rip cord, a handle attached to the rip cord, `and pocketing means slidable longitudinally upon a side riser portion of the harness for releasably housing the rip cord handle therein whereby to safely position the pocket and the handle of the rip cord relative to the normal pack position.

y LESLIE L. IRVIN. 

